Road material mixer



Sept. 7,1943,

J. H. BELL ROAD MATERIAL MIXER 2 SheetS Sheet 1' Filed Jan. 7, 1941 NQ WSN A TTORNEYS 7 m m m x 5 e J Sept. 7, 1943. J. H. BELL- ROAD MATERIAL MIICXER Filed Jan. 7, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- INVENTOR.

James JtjBeZZ" ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 7, 1943 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE noanm iiim MIXER, James H. Bell, Maxwell, can. Appl cation January I, 1941, Serial No. 373,423

, 4 Claims.

This invention relates to road making equipment and particularly to apparatus for mixing the materials, including oil, with which many secondary highways are surfaced.

The principal object of my invention is to pro- .vide a traveling machine for the purpose by means of which the materials will be thoroughly mixed with a single traversal of the machine along the stretch of road being treated.

A further object is to provide a machine for the purpose, the material engaging and mixing members of which may be individually adjusted vertically as conditions may render advisable for the best results.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yetone which will be exceedingly eifective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specifications and claims.

In the drawings similarcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

smooth on their inner adjacent faces, and reinforced about their periphery on the outside by longitudinal angle irons or similar members 2, the lower longitudinal one of which forms ground engaging shoes or runners. The side walls are rigidly connected across the top at intervals by crossbeams 3, supported by which are longitudinal beams 4. The above described structureforms the frame and road-material confining unit of the machine, and is provided at its forward end with a draft yoke 5 adapted for connection to a tractor or the like.

Extending laterally from one plate I toward but terminating short of the other plate are mixing augers 6, spaced apart lengthwise of the plate.

Extending from the other plate I toward but terminating short of said one plate are other mixing augers "I. These are disposed in planes centrally between augers 6, augers 6 and I overlapping each other somewhat. Augers 6 are connected together for simultaneous rotation at the same speed by suitable means such as a chain drive 8 on the outside of corresponding plate I,

while augers I are similarly connected by a chain drive 8 on the outside of the other plate I. Both chain drives areconneoted by suitable means so as to be simultaneously-driven in such direction that the sets of augers 6 and 1 will both act to ,advance material engaged thereby toward the area centrally between side plates I. In the present instance. such means is shown as comprising other chain drives lli connected to drives 8 and 9 at their forward end and mounted on separate but alined shafts II mounted on the front crossbeam 3. Bevel pinions I! are mounted on shafts II at their adjacent ends, which are engaged by a bevel gear II. This gear may be driven from the power take-oil! shaft of the draft tractor if desired, but as here shown, the drive means for said gear comprises an'internal combustion engine I supported from the longitudinal beams 4.

Each auger is provided with end bearings l5 mounted for vertical adjustment on uprights it on the corresponding side wall members and uprights l'l depending from and rigid with beams 4 behind the axis of the corresponding augers. In this manner, the augers may be adjusted from P sitions close to the normal road level as shown to various higher position, as operating or mixing conditions may demand for the most eflective action. In order to maintain chain drives 8 and Ill taut with any such adjustment of the front augers, to whichthe rear end of these chain drives are connected, spring pressed idlers l8 are mounted on the side walls to engage one run of the chains of said drives as shown' in Fig. 2.

Immediately behind each auger, a vertical plate I 9 is mounted. forming a backstop for'the adjacent portionof the road material being acted on by the corresponding auger. parallel to the augers, and while of sumcient length to overlap each other, are somewhat shorter than the augers as clearly shown in Fig. l. Plates I! also are mounted for vertical adjustment from positions adjacent the ground or the bottom level oi the side wall members by suitable means. As here shown, such means comprises uprights 20 on and behind the plates, cooperating with fixed uprights 2| and 22 on the side members and depending from beams 4 respectively; the plate uprights being adiustably bolted to the flxeduprights as shown at 23. In operation, the side wall members normally rest on the road, being dragged along by the draft -vehicle and with the windrow or layerof material to be mixed in line with the foremost augers. The foremost auger, which with the others is being These plates are rotated at a considerable speed. engages the material, churning it about and mixing it, while advancing it transversely and finally discharging it in the path of the next opposed auger. This auger in turn engages the materiaLJurther mixing it, and also advancing it transversely and into the path of the next opposed auger behind. This action continues with each auger until the material, in a thoroughly mixed condition, is left behind the machine in the form of a windrow ready to be acted on by a grader or spreader following behind.

It will be noted that, by reason oi the fact that alternate augers terminate at their laterally inner ends short of the opposite sidewall and overlap only for a minor portion of their length, and that adjacent augers which project from the same side wall are spaced apart a substantial distance lengthwise of the implement, an unobstructedmaterial-receiving chamber C of substantial size both transversely and longitudinally of the implementis formed between said adjacent augers and beyond the laterally inner end of the alterhate and intermediate auger. These chambers are advantageous in that they permit the material from each auger to discharge freely, and into the path of a substantial portion of the length of following alternate auger whereby a relatively greatmixing capacity is accomplished without overloading or back pressure on. the

augers.

In order to facilitate transportation of the machine, as well as to enable it to be tilted to one side or the other of the road if necessary, '1 provide a pair of wheels 24. These are disposed laterally out fromth'e side wall members in positions lengthwise thereof to substantially balance the weight of the machine. The wheels are mounted on the lower end of arms 25 which are pivoted at their upper end on the side wall members as at 28. Individual means is provided for each arm to rotate the same to alter the level of the corresponding wheel relative to the machine, and to hold the arm in such adjusted position. Various devices may be employed for the. purpose, as for instance a screw shaft 21 swivelly mounted on the adjacent side wall member and threaded through a thimble on an auxiliary arm 28 rigid with arm 25. v

From the foregoing description it will be read-' ily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects'of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the sidewall being spaced a substantial distance lengthwise of the frame structure, whereby material receiving chambers of substantial size, both transversely and longitudinally, are formed between said adjacent augers and beyond the discharge end of the alternate and intermediate auger, and meansincluded in the frame structure supporting said augers at said laterally inner ends independently of said opposite sidewall and terminating at their ,stantial distance short of the opposite sidewall,

clear of said chambers.

2. In a road material mixer which includes a frame structure having a pair of spaced sidewalls connected together for movement along a road with the material to be mixed confined therebetween, and a plurality of driven mixing augers supported at one end at and projecting laterally inward from the sidewalls; said augers projecting from said sidewalls in alternate relation and laterally inner ends a subalternate augers overlapping at said laterally inher ends for only a minor portion of their length, alternate strike-oil boards projecting from the sidewalls behind but adjacent the augers, alternate boards overlapping at their laterally inner ends but terminating short of the corresponding ends -of the augers, and adjacent augers and boards which project from the same sidewall being spaced apart a substantial distance lengthwise of the frame structure, whereby material receiving chambers of substantial size, both transversely and longitudinally, are formed be tween said adjacent augers and boards, and beyond the discharge end of the alternate and intermediate auger, and means included in the frame structure supporting said augers at said laterally inner ends, and said strike-off boards intermediate their ends, independently of the opposite sidewall and clear of said chambers.

3. In a road material mixer which includes a frame structure having a pair of spaced sidewalls connected together for movement along a wall, alternate augers overlapping at said laterally inner ends for only a minor portion of their length and adjacent augers projecting from the same sidewall being spaced a substantial distance lengthwise of the frame structure, whereby device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

In a road material mixer whichfincludes a frame structure having a pair of spaced sidewalls connected together for movement along'a road with the material to be mixed confined therebetween, and a plurality of driven mixing augers supported at one end at and projecting laterally material receiving chambers of substantial size,

both transversely and longitudinally, are formed between said adjacent augers and beyond the discharge end of the alternate and intermediate auger, and means included in the frame structure supporting said augers at said laterally inner end independently of said-opposite sidewall and clear of said chambers; said means comprising a pair of transversely spaced longitudinal beams disposed horizontally above the augers, one of said beams being in substantially the vertical plane of the laterally inner ends of the augers project-' ing from one sidewall, the other beam being in substantially the vertical plane of the laterally inner ends of the augers projecting from the opposite sidewall, and uprights connected between said beams and the corresponding laterally inner ends of said augers in supporting relation to the latter. I

4. In a road material mixer which includes a and adjacent augers projecting from the same frame structure having w r of p d sidew lls r H 2,328,888 connected together for movement along a road with the material to be mixed confined therebetween, and a plurality of driven mixing augers ends but terminating "short of the corresponding ends of the augers, and adjacent anger and boards which projectfrom the same sidewall being spacedapart a substantial distance length- "wise of .the frame structure, whereby material receiving chambers of substantial size,both' transversely and longitudinally, are formed between said adjacent augers and boards, and beyond the discharge end of the alternate and intermediate ture supporting said augers at said laterally inner ends, and said strike-on. boards intermediate their ends, independently of the opposite sidewall andclear of sald chambers; said means compris- Y ing a pair of transversely spaced longitudinal beams disposed horizontally above the augers,,one 01' said beams being in substantially the vertical plane of the laterally inner ends of the angers projecting from one sidewall, the other beam being in substantially the vertical plane of the laterally inner ends of the augers projecting from the other sidewall, uprights connected between said beams and the corresponding laterally inner ends of said angels in supporting relation tothe latter, and other uprights connected ,between the beams and said strike-oi! boards intermediate the ends of and in supporting relation to the latter, adjacent augers and strike-oil boards being supj ported from difierent ones of said beams.

Ja me H. BELL auger, and means included in the frame struc- 

